Progressive Views on the News

Kerry Blogs on Net Neutrality

On Wednesday in the Senate Commerce Committee I warned that those of us who believe in net neutrality will block legislation that doesnâ€™t get the job done.

It looks like thatâ€™s the fight weâ€™re going to have.

The Commerce Committee voted on net neutrality and it failed on an 11-11 tie. This vote was a gift to cable and telephone companies, and a slap in the face of every Internet user and consumer.

It will not stand.

I voted against this lousy bill for two reasons: because net neutrality and internet build-out are crucial to building a more modern and fair Information Society, and both were pushed aside by the Republicans.

Free and open access to the internet is something all Americans should enjoy, regardless of what financial means theyâ€™re born into or where they live. It is profoundly disappointing that the Senate is going let a handful of companies hold internet access hostage by legalizing the cherry-picking of cable service providers and new entrants. That is a dynamic that would leave some communities with inferior service, higher cable rates, and even the loss of service. Not to mention inadequate internet service â€” in the age of the information.

This bill was passed in committee over our objections. Now we need to fight to either fix it or kill it in the full Senate. Senator Wyden has already drawn a line in the sand â€” putting a â€œholdâ€? on the bill, which prevents it from going forward for now. But there will be a day of reckoning on this legislation soon, make no mistake about it, and we need you to get engaged â€” pressure your Senators, follow the issue, demand net neutrality and build-out.

You can have an impact on whether the internet will be an engine for democracy, innovation, and competitive commerce by calling Lincoln Chafee at 453-5294 and urging him support net neutrality.

One thought on “Kerry Blogs on Net Neutrality”

“Free and open access to the internet is something all Americans should enjoy”
This is ludicrous. How many more “social welfare” programs will we have to pay for so all internet can be free? How many companies/employees will be out of business if all this is FREE???

That is the problem with all these Politicing asses…especially Kerry…sounds good to the poor folks so we’ll get votes on it even if we KILL legitimate business.

WHAT A MORON

It IS important that none of this “gets away from us” for Republican abuse, but blanket statements like making it free are absurd!